Law Firm Lois Garber Schwartz, Esq. Attorneys Cherry Hill, New Jersey Lawyers

South Jersey, Divorce Mediation Attorney

Not all divorces are litigated through the courts. Rather than having two parties hire their own lawyers and go though what is often a lengthy, expensive, difficult, and emotionally draining litigation process, a divorcing couple can often proceed through divorce mediation and obtain a signed custody agreement, support agreement and/or Property Settlement Agreement. Once that is done, there is nothing left to do other than to complete the simple process of filing a divorce complaint.

I am Lois Garber Schwartz, a family law attorney in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. I am a certified divorce mediator and have been doing divorce mediation since the late 1990s.

Mediation is a process whereby the husband and wife meet with a third party, called a "mediator." Mediators are specially trained to hear these types of disputes and help parties reach their own settlement of the property division, support/alimony and child custody aspects of their case. Thereafter, their agreement is reduced to writing and signed, and the parties then obtain their divorce. Mediation can sometimes save people a lot of time, emotional distress, and money.

Mediation is valuable when the two parties are able to control their anger, sit in a room with the other party, can agree to full and open disclosure of their assets and debts and work through the issues. However, not everybody is a candidate for mediation. If either party comes into mediation with an agenda or to hurt the other party, mediation doesn't work. The process requires two people who can communicate with the mediator and with each other.

As a mediator, I do not represent either party. I will help both parties discuss property division, alimony, child custody, and child support. I will help the two parties work through their issues. I will counsel both parties as to what the result in court might be if they went to court. I tell the parties when their positions make sense, and I advise them when their positions make no sense. Finally, I try to help them shape and mold an agreement that they can live with.

For more information or to discuss your case, contact me, Cherry Hill, New Jersey family law mediation attorney Lois G. Schwartz. I am associated with the Spear Wilderman Law Firm.